Cyberworld: Making a Character
Making a Character:
Step 0: Define a Corporation
Each player (including the GM) names and broadly describes a mega corporation (or an entity of similar scope like an organised crime syndicate or a government).
This creates a list a corporations for what follows.
Step 1: Choose a Playbook
There are ten basic playbooks:
The DRIVER connects to her car through a cybernetic rig to enhance her already considerable skills.
The GANGER has a network of associates to call on when needed.
The HACKER glides through global computer networks taking whatever the job requires, and more.
The HUNTER finds whatever needs finding.
The KILLER uses bleeding edge technology to commit violence.
The OBSESSIVE sees the big picture, and how to disentangle yourself from it.
The REPORTER knows the truth, she just has to prove it.
The SOLDIER plans and executes jobs in the corporate wars.
The SNEAK is a master of inflitration.
The TECH repairs things when they break and sometimes breaks things himself.
Step 2: Choose a Handle and a Look.
Choose a handle or street name for your character and describe their look; eyes, face, body and style.
Step 3: Assign Stats.
Choose a stat line from those in the playbook.
Step 4: Choose Playbook Moves.
Each playbook will give you one or two starting moves. Some of these may require you to make some mechanical or colour choices about that move. Make those choices now.
Each playbook will give you a number of options for additional starting moves. Choose those moves now as well.
Step 5: Buy Cyberware.
For every piece of cyberware you start with, choose one tag (+unreliable, +substandard, +hardware decay, +damaging, +cheap) or take an obligation to an NPC or a Corp. You may only choose each tag once.
Each player chooses Cyberware and rolls acquire cyberware and go under the knife for each piece.
When you try to acquire cyberware, roll+Cred spent. On a hit, take +1 forward when you go under the knife. On a 10+, your money is good. On a 7-9, you can get it, but you’ll owe someone, the GM will offer you a deal. On a miss the GM will make a move. You might owe someone, you might get shafted, or you might get a little something extra...
When you go under the knife, roll+Cred spent (max +2). On a 10+, the operation was a complete success. On a 7-9, the cyberware doesn’t work as well as the advertising implied, choose one: +unreliable, +substandard, +hardware decay, +damaging, +cheap. On a miss, there have been... complications.
+unreliable: sometimes it just doesn’t work.
+substandard: it works, but not as well as it should.
+hardware decay: it works now, but in a few months...
+damaging: sometimes it hurts like hell and eventually it will do permanent nerve damage.
+cheap: it looks like you bought it at the dollar store: tacky, ridiculous, perhaps disturbing, but not in a badass way.
Make a note of any side effects of the operation or obligations incurred.
Step 6: Links
Each player will tell everyone about a job they did against one of the corporations established in Step 0. The character should play a leading role in the job, either in charge of the entire operation, or providing the critical skill around which the mission was based. Describe your role in the job, and name the corporation you ran the job against. The GM will start a countdown clock for that corporation. The player to your left will tell you how they were involved. Continuing to the left, each other player will tell you if and how they were involved too, for each one that contributes to the story, the GM will note that character’s involvement and advance the corporation’s countdown clock by one.
Each player who was involved in your job, gains +1 Links with you. If you knew they were involved, you gain +1 Links with them.
Step 7: Choose Contacts.
Think about your character’s background. Does he come from the streets? Did she grow up in corporate arcology? Does he move in media circles? Did she serve in a regular military or paramilitary force of some kind? You know some people from your old life who you can still go to for help. Name and describe two contacts to start with. How do you know them?
Each Contact comes with an obligation.
Step 8: Highlight Stats
The player with whom you have the highest Links choose one of your stats to highlight, then the GM highlights another. Every time you make a move with that stat, mark XP.
You're good to go.
I've also started threads on Barf Forth and G+ for those who prefer those interfaces.
Step 0: Define a Corporation
Each player (including the GM) names and broadly describes a mega corporation (or an entity of similar scope like an organised crime syndicate or a government).
This creates a list a corporations for what follows.
Step 1: Choose a Playbook
There are ten basic playbooks:
The DRIVER connects to her car through a cybernetic rig to enhance her already considerable skills.
The GANGER has a network of associates to call on when needed.
The HACKER glides through global computer networks taking whatever the job requires, and more.
The HUNTER finds whatever needs finding.
The KILLER uses bleeding edge technology to commit violence.
The OBSESSIVE sees the big picture, and how to disentangle yourself from it.
The REPORTER knows the truth, she just has to prove it.
The SOLDIER plans and executes jobs in the corporate wars.
The SNEAK is a master of inflitration.
The TECH repairs things when they break and sometimes breaks things himself.
Step 2: Choose a Handle and a Look.
Choose a handle or street name for your character and describe their look; eyes, face, body and style.
Step 3: Assign Stats.
Choose a stat line from those in the playbook.
Step 4: Choose Playbook Moves.
Each playbook will give you one or two starting moves. Some of these may require you to make some mechanical or colour choices about that move. Make those choices now.
Each playbook will give you a number of options for additional starting moves. Choose those moves now as well.
Step 5: Buy Cyberware.
For every piece of cyberware you start with, choose one tag (+unreliable, +substandard, +hardware decay, +damaging, +cheap) or take an obligation to an NPC or a Corp. You may only choose each tag once.
Each player chooses Cyberware and rolls acquire cyberware and go under the knife for each piece.
When you try to acquire cyberware, roll+Cred spent. On a hit, take +1 forward when you go under the knife. On a 10+, your money is good. On a 7-9, you can get it, but you’ll owe someone, the GM will offer you a deal. On a miss the GM will make a move. You might owe someone, you might get shafted, or you might get a little something extra...
When you go under the knife, roll+Cred spent (max +2). On a 10+, the operation was a complete success. On a 7-9, the cyberware doesn’t work as well as the advertising implied, choose one: +unreliable, +substandard, +hardware decay, +damaging, +cheap. On a miss, there have been... complications.
+unreliable: sometimes it just doesn’t work.
+substandard: it works, but not as well as it should.
+hardware decay: it works now, but in a few months...
+damaging: sometimes it hurts like hell and eventually it will do permanent nerve damage.
+cheap: it looks like you bought it at the dollar store: tacky, ridiculous, perhaps disturbing, but not in a badass way.
Make a note of any side effects of the operation or obligations incurred.
Step 6: Links
Each player will tell everyone about a job they did against one of the corporations established in Step 0. The character should play a leading role in the job, either in charge of the entire operation, or providing the critical skill around which the mission was based. Describe your role in the job, and name the corporation you ran the job against. The GM will start a countdown clock for that corporation. The player to your left will tell you how they were involved. Continuing to the left, each other player will tell you if and how they were involved too, for each one that contributes to the story, the GM will note that character’s involvement and advance the corporation’s countdown clock by one.
Each player who was involved in your job, gains +1 Links with you. If you knew they were involved, you gain +1 Links with them.
Step 7: Choose Contacts.
Think about your character’s background. Does he come from the streets? Did she grow up in corporate arcology? Does he move in media circles? Did she serve in a regular military or paramilitary force of some kind? You know some people from your old life who you can still go to for help. Name and describe two contacts to start with. How do you know them?
Each Contact comes with an obligation.
Step 8: Highlight Stats
The player with whom you have the highest Links choose one of your stats to highlight, then the GM highlights another. Every time you make a move with that stat, mark XP.
You're good to go.
I've also started threads on Barf Forth and G+ for those who prefer those interfaces.